THE CARPENTER OF GALILEE
	Jeshua took a step past the old man to get a closer look. He nodded. "Yes, it is old and nearly worn out."     Behind him, Eli harumphed. "Like me."     Jeshua smiled to himself as he examined the door, running his hands over the wood. "But it is of fine quality and has aged well." He straightened and turned to Eli, who was again looking at the road, which disappeared over the green rolling hills of Galilee. "Like you," said Jeshua.
	Jeshua laughed. "Yes. A father gives his children gifts, even life itself. And this world," he said, motioning about, "is a gift from our Heavenly Father."     Arah put the waterskin on the well edge, pondering. "So God is our father . . . and we're his chidren."     Jeshua was putting on his leather apron. "Yes," he said, withdrawing a worn chisel and examining a nick in the cutting edge.     Arah looked up a Jeshua, his brow furrowed. "Are you a rabbi?"     Jeshua smiled. "No, Arah. I'm a carpenter."
	"But you are not working for free, are you? And guess who pays?" asked the man, shaking his head. Without waiting for an answer, he turned and walked toward the fields.     Hannah pulled the well rope up. "That was Simeon, Eli's son."     "Ah," said Jeshua. "His son."     "His elder son," she added. "Master Eli has another son---a younger son---but he has left. Gone into the world."     "I see," said Jeshua. "And Simeon is angry about it."     Hannah walked toward the house. "Master Simeon is angry about everything."
	"I've seen him," affirmed Azariah.     "So he is in Damascus?" Eli shook his head in disbelief. "Among the Assyrians?"     Azariah nodded his head sadly. "I asked him if he had a message for you."     "And what did he say?"      Azariah shook his head. "He laughed at me." Azariah put his hand on Eli's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Eli."     Eli shook his hand off and straightened, his eyes looking heavenward, but saying nothing. He grabbed the neck of his tunic with both hands and split his shirt to his belt.     "What will you do?" asked Azariah carefully.      Eli turned, his head bowed with grief. "There is nothing I can do. He has chosen his path."
	"But you are wondering about your justice---what you should do."     Eli nodded miserably.     Benjamin looked past Eli and quoted scripture, "'The wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.'"     Eli groaned. "Does it really say that?"     Benjamin nodded.     "But . . . he's my son," said Eli simply, his eyes pleading with his rabbi.     Benjamin sighed. "Eli, my friend, every wicked man is someone's son. But that cannot shield them from the Lord's justice."     "But what about mercy?" pleaded Eli. "Has mercy no place?"
	Jeshua folded the parchment and placed it in his tunic, bowed, and walked outside.     As he led his donkey homeward along the silver path in the cool darkness, he looked up at the bright band of stars crossing the black sky and thought of his own father.

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